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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975957">Distant Shores</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wegglebots/pseuds/IronShiba'>IronShiba (wegglebots)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hololive, Hololive En, Virtual Streamer Animated Characters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff, Never writing time travel fic again this hurted my brain, Some angst, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:20:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,115</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wegglebots/pseuds/IronShiba</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The special watch dangling on Amelia Watson’s waist came with a strict set of rules. Time is a complicated, delicate thing. Messing with it can only bring misery and ruin.</p>
<p>But what’s the harm in preventing a ruin?</p>
<p>Amelia steels herself, convinces herself for the millionth time that she’s about to do something justified. And so she hits the button. </p>
<p>To Atlantis – before the catastrophe – she goes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gawr Gura/Watson Amelia (hololive)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>418</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Distant Shores</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Distant Ruins</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun begins to sink past the horizon as Gura looks out to the wide, endless ocean. Amelia takes a deep breath and the scent of brine fills her lungs. There they stand, atop a cliff. Amelia looks down. Hundreds of feet down, where waves crash against rock and cliff side. Rhythmic, push and pull, ebb and flow, crash and erode. Ame looks at Gura from the corner of her eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dangerous, but somehow inviting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura sighs loudly, sits down at the edge of the cliff. She leans back on her arms, swinging her legs idly over the cliff’s edge. “It’s still out there, you know,” she says, smiling sadly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Atlantis?”<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Yeah.” Gura hums. “Well, sorta there I guess. What’s left of it, I mean.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ame tucks a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. The sea breeze is cool, comforting. “Yeah,” she echoes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura turns to look at Amelia. Her eyes catch the glinting of the detective’s special watch. As if on instinct, Amelia reaches down to clasp it in her hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The special watch dangling on Amelia Watson’s waist came with a strict set of rules. Time is a complicated, delicate thing. Messing with it can only bring misery and ruin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You think you could maybe…” Gura starts, but stops herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia could tell where this is going but asks anyway. “What is it, Gura?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura pauses. Opts to look at the almost gone sun a little longer. She rises to her feet. Pats the dust off of her oversized hoodie. “Nothing. Was gonna ask you if you think you could maybe take us back to before the ruin, you know? Maybe something coulda been done about it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gura…” answers Amelia. The words catch in the detective’s throat. These explanations were never easy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know, I know,” interjects the smaller girl. “Time traveling rules and whatever, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did you…?”<br/><br/></p>
<p>Gura turns to face Amelia Watson. Maybe it was the way the shadows on her face made her eyes seem too watery and her smile too fake, or the way her voice sounds a little too hoarse, but the detective could swear that maybe her shark friend was trying to hold back tears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey man, I do listen when you say words at me,” says Gura.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 1]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The salty sea breeze blows against Amelia Watson’s face. Waves lap gently on the wooden hull of the ship as it sways gently to and fro, old, creaky wood groaning with every tilt. There she stands, on a ship that’s barely seaworthy, in the middle of the ocean. All she has is a scrap of a map she’d won in a dice game from Marine-senpai. All she has is an old incantation she’d convinced Ina to teach her. All she has is a hunch and a question that needs an answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia knows what she’s doing is wrong on so many levels. She tells herself that this was an exception. A loophole. Yeah. Definitely. She’s a genius and she’s never wrong, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her gut churns as she stares down into the deep water. Right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The watch around her waist glints in the harsh sunlight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She swings her legs over the rails, feet dangling over deep, dark blue water. She takes a deep breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Click</em>
  <span>, goes her watch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And everything goes in reverse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura mashes the buttons on her Switch controller with a strength and ferocity it was most definitely not stress-tested for. The living room is filled with the constant, loud clacking of buttons, the sound of which threatens to go over the volume of the game they’re playing on the television. Ame inputs a quick combo on her controller. Gura’s character is deftly knocked out of the arena. Gura groans, loudly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ame fishes the TV remote, ups the volume a few more notches to drown out the button clicking sounds. “Gura,” she says, taunting, “this isn’t a button mashing game you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura pouts. “Hey man, <em>I’m trying here</em><span>.” She adjusts her sitting position. Straightens her back. “Alright, one more round </span><em>Watson</em><span>. Let’s go.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia chuckles. She watches Gura from the corner of her eyes. She doesn’t seem to have changed her behavior in any way. No mentions of time travel mishaps or continuity errors. </span>
  <span>The first few attempts seem to have gone by without any major issues. </span>
  <span>The detective decides to take it as a sign that her attempts at finding Atlantis before the ruin were, are, or even </span>
  <em>will be</em>
  <span> successful. Time is confusing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura playfully slaps Amelia on the cheeks. “</span>
  <em>Helloooooo Watson. No more scheming! Come on, next round now!</em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The feeling of skin on skin is fleeting, but warm. The smell is sweet and salty, like the sea breeze itself. Amelia’s ribs seem to shrink. Her stomach lurches a little. The feeling sparks in her chest, small and fluttering. She imagines herself drinking an entire liter of water to drown out those feelings. She lets out a long, hushed breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Feelings are bad. No feelings, </em>
  <span>she tells herself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>________</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 5]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia Watson curses under her breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The villagers look at her in awe, crowding the woman that had suddenly zapped into existence in their town square. The air smells of salt, of brine. The cries of seagulls are drowned out by the murmuring of fisherfolk in a language that Amelia doesn’t quite understand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, gone too far back,” she says, running a hand through her blonde hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calling it a “town” or “village” would be generous – this was clearly the settlement of an early human civilization. The people are clad in patched together leathers and rough cloth, clutching crude tools and weaponry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The murmuring among the people grows louder. They seem to be engaged in a conversation. Amelia observes the situation. Looks up at the wide blue sky above her and sighs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just then, a shout rings out. A voice Amelia knows a little too well. She freezes. The crowd parts. There, standing before her, a familiar figure, a familiar toothy grin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Oy!” </em><span>goes Gura. Her clothes are unfamiliar. A simple, short blue dress, flowing and silk-like. Upon her chest a shell pendant, pulsing with a light blue glow. </span><em>“Who do you think you are, just bargin’ in here? Looking to fight, eh?</em><span>”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How…?” Amelia manages.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura taps on </span>
  <span>her</span>
  <span> pendant. “</span>
  <span>Now are you gonna explain yourself or are you looking for a fight?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Please</em><span>, I can beat you with both hands tied behind my back. </span><em>Easy</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Oho</em><span>, you sure about that?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gura – ” Amelia winces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura’s eyes narrow. The murmuring among the villagers grow louder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How do you…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia pinches the bridge of her nose. </span>
  <span>Despite herself, she chuckles a little. </span>
  <span>“A,” she goe</span>
  <span>s, and hastily clicks at her watch again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ina scribbles away on her sketchpad. Without looking up, she speaks. “So, you putting the incantation to good use?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia flips a page of the book she’s reading. “Mhm.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“An incantation for waterbreathing. Can’t imagine what you could be using that for.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There are many possible applications for such magic, Ina.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ina hums. She looks up at Amelia, smiling softly. She gently taps the arcane book at her side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I, more than anyone, know what it’s like to have questions you want the answers for.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia looks at Ina from the corner of her eye, book still open in her hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ina continues to speak. “And I understand that you’ll still do what you want to do, but I’ll tell you anyway. Some questions are best left unanswered.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 23]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Darkness. Ruins. Nothing but the remnants of a once incredible civilization. The silence of the ocean depths is deafening. Heartbreaking, somehow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still not the right point in time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few more attempts. She can figure this out. She just needs a little bit of a clue to push her in the right direction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A shark circles her from below.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her voice comes out warbled, her breathing assisted by Ina’s magic. “Not now Gura, can’t you see I’m busy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And maybe it’s the exhaustion or the madness of the endeavor finally getting to her, but Amelia could swear the shark grinned mischievously at her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey Ame, what’s the story behind this scar?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And as Gura asks, she reaches out, traces a line across a distinct bite-mark scar on Amelia Watson’s leg. It takes everything within the detective not to yelp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two are sitting on the floor of Gura’s living room, an assortment of computer parts between them. When Gura had asked for “a little help with my PC” Amelia knew what was going to happen. She was going to take the entire thing apart and put it all back together while Gura just watches.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The feeling of Gura’s fingertips against Amelia’s leg feels electric. The warmth of familiarity. The warmth of excitement. A part of her wants to bask in the sensation forever. Another part wants to just chuck all the computer parts out of the window and jump after them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But this is a game to Amelia Watson, and games are things to be won.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mhm,” she goes, thoughtfully. “I’ll tell you after you answer a question from me, first.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh!” goes Gura. “Is this for your investigation?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia chuckles lightly. “Yes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright, ask away!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia frowns. Gura probably isn’t going to like the question. “Where were you when Atlantis… you know. Fell apart.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The detective could see it, in real time. Something breaking within the smaller girl. Like glass, shattering against cold, hard stone. A million tiny fragments too small to put back together. Amelia looks down at the computer parts splayed out before her. Imagines Gura’s life torn apart in the same way the day it all went down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry,” goes Amelia. “You don’t have to…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s okay.” Gura clears her throat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That day, I was on a hill, some distance away from the city. From there… you could see it all so clearly… And there was…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey what’s the specs on your graphics card?” Interrupts Amelia, waving around the offending component.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ame…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia sighs. “The investigation can wait. You have a stream in a few hours, yeah?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, but…” Gura looks crestfallen. A sea of unspoken hurt reflected in brilliant blue eyes. It makes Amelia Watson’s insides hurt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Forget I asked, please.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They stare at each other in silence for a few beats. There is a heaviness in the air that makes Amelia feel like she’s drowning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia reaches over, snaps the graphics card neatly into its slot. She decides, on the spot, that for Gura she’d rather be the person to put things together rather than take them apart. How soft she’s grown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I shit you not Gura, the scar is from a shark bite.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re kidding.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nope.” And Amelia grins, wide and goofy. For Gura, she’d find a way to bend time itself to her will.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 32]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The time traveling detective was no stranger to dangerous situations. She’d managed to fight her way through plenty of life-threatening encounters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still, that moment of realization that she’d royally fucked up always takes a lot out of her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s Amelia Watson, detective extraordinaire, in the dark depths of the ocean. Just Amelia Watson, her special pocket watch, a small handgun, and several hungry sharks circling her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia yelps, instinctively reaches for her gun to shoot. <em>Click</em><span>. </span><span>Nothing. Guns don’t work underwater. Amelia curses loudly, chucks the item at one of the sharks. It does little to deter them. They circle closer. Rows and rows of jagged, sharp teeth, dangerously close to the helpless detective.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just then, another shark zooms past, breaking through the circling bunch. With a swish of the tail the others dissipate. The new shark grabs her (with its mouth) by the leg (by biting down on it). And swims far away from the other sharks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sharp, jabbing pain sears up her leg. Amelia stifles a scream, clutches to the shark’s body for dear life as it swims quickly through the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>This is it, </em>
  <span>thinks Amelia, </span>
  <em>in my quest to help my shark friend I managed to get eaten by a goddamn shark. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Only, the shark releases her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s Amelia Watson, detective-that-totally-knows-what-she’s-doing, floating helplessly in the vast nothingness of the ocean while a shark stares her down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now that she thinks about it, isn’t the shark a </span>
  <em>particular</em>
  <span> shade of blue?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“… Gura?” Amelia manages.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The shark wags its tail excitedly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh my fucking god,” goes Amelia, the searing, burning pain in her leg somehow forgotten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The shark swims around Amelia, zippy and excited. Despite herself, Amelia pats the shark on the head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks for that, Gura.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just then, the shark stiffens, eyes clouding over. The once friendly, excitable demeanor that Amelia was familiar with is replaced with something else. More sinister. More intimidating. More like a predator eyeing its prey.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia looks down at her leg. At the blood clouding the water around her. </span>
  <em>“Ah, right,</em>
  <span>” she goes. She holds up her pocket watch. “Well, it was nice to see you again, but, uh, </span>
  <em>gotta go!</em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Click</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia exhales loudly, leans far back into her office chair. She stares at the darkened screen of her computer, at the reflection of her vacant expression staring back at her. She reaches up to lazily rub at her eyes, at the dark circles under them. She’s got the coordinates of Atlantis down perfectly, but now it’s all about the timing. The perfect date and time to jump to. Still, she can’t deny the fatigue of her endeavor over the past few days beginning to weigh her down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The office door opens, just barely. Light pours in through the crack. Amelia winces at the sudden brightness. At the doorway, a small silhouette.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You planning to sleep soon?” asks Gura.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“In a bit,” answers Amelia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A pause. Amelia blinks a few times, her eyes adjust to the light from outside the office. At the doorway, Gura stares at the floor. Looks up at Amelia. Opens her mouth as if to speak. Closes her mouth and stares at the floor again. Gura was being obvious again, transparent to the bone. Amelia could tell. It was always these situations she was never quite sure how to handle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia, sitting in the dark shadows of her office, her emotions a muddled, hidden mess. Gura, standing in the light, her every thought and feeling worn proudly on her sleeve.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is it, Gura?” Amelia asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura shakes her head. “I was just wondering…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wondering?” A cold, nervous feeling suddenly pools at the pit of Amelia’s stomach. She sits up straighter. Was this about her investigation? Had she finally fucked up causality? Or, <em>worse</em><span>, was Gura gearing up to talk about </span><em>feelings</em><span>? </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia wraps her hands around her watch. So help her, </span>
  <span>i</span>
  <span>f so much a squeak about feelings spills from Gura’s lips she’s going to jump to the dinosaur age and come back after screaming at a T-rex. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura hums. Laughs awkwardly. She lets go of her hold on the office door. It swings open. Gura rubs at the back of her head. Looking away, she speaks up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How about pizza? You want pizza?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia releases her death grip on her pocket watch. She lets out the breath she had been holding, relieved that Gura had chickened out at feelings talk again. Amelia smiles, tired but patient. She reminds herself, for the millionth time that month, that sharks are dangerous predators.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I could use a pizza right now,” she answers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 87]</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The bright lights of Atlantis are almost blinding. The city hums with with life, with energy, the hustle and bustle like any other city Amelia Watson’s ever known. It’s incredible, really. Distant conversations, the sounds of food cooking in street stalls, distant shouts, crashes, booms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia stands in the middle of the street, surrounded by buildings of beautiful, brightly colored stone. Almost like a city carved entirely out of coral. Crustaceans skitter past her. Some fish languidly swim by. Mermaids of all varieties zoom past. None seem to pay any mind to the very obviously human girl just gawking at it all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The detective snaps out of her reverie long enough to remember to take note of the exact date, time, and coordinates she’d traveled to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Atlantis, before the ruin had taken it all</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something lightly bumps against her back, pushing her forward. Yelping, Amelia quickly spins around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura, grinning as always. “</span>
  <em>Oi,</em>
  <span>” she goes, rows of jagged teeth glinting in the light. She’s in her human form, looking the same as Amelia’s always known her. The detective makes a mental note, </span>
  <em>magic girl sharks don’t age I guess</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Oi,” answers Amelia, unsure about how to proceed. She’s about 90% sure she’s fucked up her timeline pretty good this time.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Not gonna do that magic zapping thing you did last time?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Magic zapping thing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Last time I saw you, you zapped in from nowhere in the middle of my favorite people village. Before I could get you to explain how you knew my name, <em>poof</em>, gone.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Ah,” goes Amelia, hand subconsciously reaching out for her watch. “</span><span>Don’t sweat it, we uh, met once and you probably just forgot or something</span><span>.” </span><span>The detective makes another mental note, </span><em>Gura’s memory is a little too good, it would probably be smarter to avoid any further interaction</em><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I dunno,” goes the shorter girl. “Kinda hard to forget magic zappies, if you ask me.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, where’s the best place to eat at around here?” asks Ame.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The gears in Gura’s head rapidly shift. </span>
  <span>The light in her eyes brighten, toothy grin widening. </span>
  <em>Ah,</em>
  <span> thinks Ame, </span>
  <em>good to know she’s always been this easy to redirect</em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ol’ Gilly serves up the best kelp noodles in all of Atlantis! Come on, I’ll take you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>So much for avoiding interaction</em>
  <span>, thinks Amelia. “</span>
  <span>Kelp noodles huh? Sounds weirdly gross, but okay.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” goes Gura, pouting, “here I am, offering to eat with a random stranger and they call the food ‘weirdly gross?’”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Ah, </em>
  <span>comes the thought, </span>
  <em>so cute</em>
  <span>. The detective reminds herself, again, that sharks are dangerous predators.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry,” says Ame, “I meant to say that it sounds super gross.” She snickers, proud of herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura growls, but chuckles all the same. “</span>
  <em>Oi, don’t push it human!</em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’re a few bowls of noodles in when Amelia Watson realizes she’s never been so full in her life. She stares idly at the noodle shop’s ceiling, leaning dangerously far back in her diner seat. Gura orders another bowl, scarfs it down like she’s breathing air. The noodles were definitely <em>something. </em>More than anything it was the experience of eating underwater that was the weirdest part. Everything tastes ten times saltier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looks down at Gura, eating and eating like her stomach’s a black hole. She even hums happily as she eats. Something about watching Gura just </span>
  <em>exist</em>
  <span> makes something within Amelia Watson lurch painfully. She tells herself it’s the saltwater she definitely scarfed down along with the noodles. Again, again, the mant</span>
  <span>r</span>
  <span>a. </span>
  <em>Sharks are dangerous predators. </em>
  <span>The detective looks up </span>
  <span>once more</span>
  <span>, as if looking at Gura for too long would cause her to combust, </span>
  <span>pop</span>
  <span> into a ball of confetti, or both. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey Gura,” goes Amelia, counting the cracks on the ceiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah?” goes Gura, mouth still full of half chewed noodles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia, grinning from ear to ear, holds up her pocket watch. “Thanks for the free meal, <em>noodle brain</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Click</em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia blinks a few times, her eyelids too heavy, her body too heavy. She’s splayed out on the couch, on the verge of falling asleep. Gura idly taps away at her phone, scrolling along her social media as she leans back against the couch from her position on the floor. Amelia yawns. After nearly a hundred attempts over the span of a few weeks, the exhaustion was rapidly catching up to the detective.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura hums a song. A soft song. A familiar one, Amelia thinks. She closes her eyes. Tries to remember where she’d heard that song. It sounds sad. Impossibly sad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey Gura,” goes Amelia, voice thick with drowsiness, “what song’s that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura chuckles, turns her head to look at Amelia. Brilliant blue eyes that Amelia Watson could drown in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You don’t remember?” Gura asks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Part of Amelia wants Gura to shut up and start singing again so she could drift off into peaceful sleep. Instead, she shakes her head. <br/><br/></p>
<p>Gura grins mischievously. “For a time traveler you’re kinda forgetful, huh? You taught me this song, noodle brain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, watch who you’re calling a noodle brain, you <em>noodle brain</em><span>.”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt 125]</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So Time Traveler Lady,” goes Gura, legs swinging over the cliff side, “wanna tell me what you’re trying to figure out here or what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia Watson stands a few steps behind, the cool ocean breeze billowing her coat. “I have a name, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura looks back, smiling, bright. “Yeah? What’s your name?” In the light of the fading sun the young girl’s toothy, jagged smile doesn’t seem at all intimidating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia looks away. Frowns. Draws her cap down to hide her expression. Her gut churns. Still so far from the answer. She clears her throat, tries to hide more of her expression under the brim of her hat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How about you ask your mom, it’s all she could say last night,” she says, dryly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura tilts her head to the side. “Was that a joke? Human jokes are so weird.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia chuckles, lightly, almost bitterly. “You’ll get it in a couple thousand years or so.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was it, the detective Amelia Watson realizes, a moment of weakness washing over her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She sits cuddled up close to Gura as they watch a movie together in the darkness of the living room, only the light of the television casting light on their features. Together, huddled close under the same blanket. Together, warmth shared between the two sending Amelia’s heart and mind racing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She’s pretending to ignore how she can feel the tips of Gura’s fingers grazing along her arm, carefully, slowly, a tiny little predator testing out the waters. She’s pretending to ignore how Gura’s been watching Amelia from the corner of her eye more than she was paying any mind to the movie. She’s pretending to ignore the distance between them decreasing as Gura slowly, <em>slowly</em> presses against Amelia’s side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sharks. What dangerous, <em>dangerous</em> predators they are.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But this was it, a moment of weakness washing over Amelia. She turns to look at Gura head on. Gura looks back. In the relative darkness of the room her blue eyes look like the endless depths of the ocean. What secrets did they hide? What answers were waiting to be uncovered?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Ame</em>,” goes Gura, softly, sweetly. Amelia feels like roots were taking hold in the gaps of her ribs. A tiny blooming thing, full of warmth that lived just for that moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia leans in closer, eyes half lidded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura closes the distance. Soft lips pressed against Amelia’s.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia had expected it to maybe taste like the ocean, much like how Gura smelled, but no, not really. More than anything it was sweet. Like honey, Amelia thinks, but she isn’t sure anymore. Her thoughts are a muddled mess, filled with nothing but warmth and the girl beside her and soft, <em>soft </em>lips pressed against hers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The realization hits Amelia Watson hard. If this was a moment of weakness then maybe she doesn’t ever want to be strong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura is the first to pull away. “Hmm,” she hums. “It’s true what they say.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The second kiss hits different.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Attempt ???]</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia and Gura are atop a hill, observing the city from afar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve figured out what you’re trying to accomplish here,” Gura says suddenly, voice barely above a whisper.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your mom fessed up?” quips Amelia, chuckling to herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura shakes her head. “I’ve seen it foretold, over and over. Our people have their magic too, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia’s eyes narrow. Just then, a distant tremble. Then a rumble. Then a growing, shaking of the landscape. The two barely maintain their footing. Amelia looks toward the city.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Atlantis is falling apart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Too late,” goes Amelia. She reaches for her pocket watch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura reaches out, clasps </span>
  <span>Amelia’s</span>
  <span> hand gently with both of her smaller ones. Amelia turns to look at the shorter girl. Gura shakes her head, slowly, a sad smile on her lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s okay, it’s okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia frowns. In Gura’s eyes she finds the answer she’d been long looking for. “No, I can fix this. I can still –”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sometimes bad things happen,” says Gura, quietly. “Hold my hand?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The detective releases her hold on the watch. Reaches out to hold Gura’s hand. They turn towards the city. Watch as it all comes tumbling down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From their </span>
  <span>hill</span>
  <span> away from the city, they watch as </span>
  <span>the </span>
  <span>once great, vibrant towers come crashing down. The ground trembles as if it’s the end of the world as they know it. Everything is chaos, a burning civilization unfolding before their very eyes. Their shadow</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> stretch long behind them. Two tiny specks watching the world fall apart. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A</span>
  <span>melia Watson hums a song. An impossibly sad song that she had apparently taught Gura. A song </span>
  <span>dripping with heartache and a pain reaching out from a million miles away. Gura’s grip on Amelia’s hand tightens. The other girl’s shoulders tremble ever so slightly as she fights back feebly against the tears rolling down her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Flashes, and rumbles. The explosions send shockwaves echoing out of the city. Even from their perch so very far away from it all, they feel the heat, the chaos, the sound, the impact.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They watch standing side by side, at a loss for words, at a loss for thoughts. Why is it so captivating to watch destruction?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura lets go of </span>
  <span>Amelia Watson’s</span>
  <span> hand. </span>
  <span>She</span>
  <span> feels a tug on her shirt sleeve. She turns to see Gura looking up at her. Eyes glistening. Eyes shining. There was a lot in those blue eyes. </span>
  <span>The flashes of bright orange explosions are mirrored back at the detective. In Gura’s eyes Ame could see </span>
  <span>a new, different</span>
  <span> ocean of questions she wants to dive into to find </span>
  <span>more</span>
  <span> answers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura’s voice is hoarse, barely audible above the din of everything surrounding them. “Kiss me,” she says.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia Watson is at a loss for words. The heat on her cheeks intensifying, she feels a little like she was a crumbling city on the inside too. Walls, falling down. Explosions, pressing against her ribs. Heat, unrelenting heat, rising from the pit of her chest and threatening to spill out of her lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Huh. You in the habit of asking strangers for kisses?” goes Ame.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Only time travelers that seem weirdly invested in me,” answers Gura.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Against all the better judgment in the universe, Amelia Watson leans down to press her lips against Gura’s. Soft, again, just like the first time, but this time the warmth blooming in her chest throbs in a way unlike the first time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah. The second kiss does hit different, doesn’t it?” she says when she pulls away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura looks up, confused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ll get it in a few thousand years or so,” Amelia whispers before breaking out into laughter despite everything unfolding before her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The confusion on Gura’s face intensifies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia picks up a rock, a flattish one, and pulls out a knife to carve on its smooth surface. A set of coordinates and a date and time. She hands the stone to Gura, who accepts it with both hands, tenderly, as if the rock were so fragile that the slightest movement could cause it to break.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s this for?” asks Gura.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m testing out a theory,” answers Amelia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Theory?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ll see me there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_______</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia Watson finds Gura atop a familiar cliff side at a set time, and a set date. Exactly one day and a few hours after they watched a movie together. Exactly one day and a few hours after Amelia Watson’s first (and Gura’s second) kiss. The exact place, date, and time for everything to finally come to a close.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura, her back still turned, shouts out, “Kept me waiting long enough!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>I </span><em>knew </em><span>it. How come you never said anything?”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gura turns around dramatically, a hand over her chest in faux indignation. </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>And ruin the surprise? </em>
  <em>Why, never!</em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All Amelia could do is laugh, wild and reckless, the sea breeze blowing against them and enveloping them. </span>
  <span>All these games and these years and these attempts at finding answers, only to learn that maybe since the beginning their lives were destined to pan out this way. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia sits by the cliff side. Gura joins her. Together, they look over the horizon, over the </span>
  <span>open </span>
  <span>sea. For a moment, there’s nothing but the crashing of the waves. The distant cries of seagulls. The ocean of words and thoughts and feelings building up between them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Why did you stop me?” Amelia asks, suddenly. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Some pain is meant to happen, I think,” says Gura, her voice quiet, trembling. “If not for pain, then maybe I would not have ever met you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ocean looks so vast, so wide and open. Ame looks into Gura’s eyes. An ocean waiting to swallow her completely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You actually waited for me, huh,” Amelia says before she could catch herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura blushes. Chuckles awkwardly. “It was… you were… well… <em>pretty hard to forget</em><span>.” </span><span>She fishes in her pocket for an object and hands it over to Amelia. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A stone, it’s surface practically smoothed over, the barest traces of carved lines still visible on them. Thousands of years later, they find themselves right at the beginning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia hums, grins. “Hope it was worth your while then. Thanks for the wait.” And then, after a pause, she adds, “Well, what do we do now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>What do we…?” goes Gura, startled. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Amelia clears her throat. “About ah, Atlantis,” she clarifies. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gura seems to consider this for a while. “We could rebuild. It doesn’t have to be real life. It could just be in a video game, you know. Just give me something to hold on to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something within the detective seems to tremble. Her resolve, maybe. Her need to keep things locked away tight. A tiny, isolated city within herself reduced to rubble before her very eyes. Why is it always so mesmerizing to watch destruction?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her lungs press uncomfortably against her ribs. Her breath feels like fire. Her blood feels like it’s boiling. She feels alive, too alive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amelia Watson groans, loudly. She looks away, the words forming at the back of her head making her feel embarrassed before she even speaks them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s build something new together, Gura.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! This is my first time writing for these characters and this pair and I went ahead for the (attempted) angst hahahaha</p>
<p>I might write more for this pair? We'll see. I have a lot of WIPs to attend to ahehe... he...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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